The City of Puebla

Citations

• 153 F. 925
• 1907 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 311

Syllabus

<p>1. Salvage — Right to Compensation — Services Not of Benefit.</p> <p>Where a steamer took a line from another which had become disabled at sea by the breaking of her propeller, but when it immediately parted went on her way, leaving' the disabled vessel no better off than before, she is not entitled to share in the salvage award on the subsequent rescue of the disabled vessel by others.</p> <p>[Ed. Note. — For cases in point, see Cent. Dig. vol. 43, Salvage, § 30.]</p> <p>2. Same — Amount of Compensation — Towing Disabled Vessel at Sea.</p> <p>The passenger steamer Puebla, with 185 passengers on bear'd, broke her propeller shaft on December 30tli, when 35 miles off the Oregon coast. There was a heavy sea, and her few sails only enabled her to keep off the shore. During the next 24 hours she drifted 21 miles, and was then met by the steamer Chehalis going northward, which undertook to tow her to San Francisco, and did so, with the assistance of the steamer Norwood, which joined her the next day at her request. The time required to reach San Francisco was about 3% days after the service commenced. The wind had moderated, and the Puebla was not in any immediate danger when taken in tow; but there was imminent danger of bad weather at that season of the year, although none was encountered during the towing. Her salved value with cargo and- pending freight was about $310,-000. The Chehalis was worth $100,000, and she liad 8 passengers. The Norwood was worth ,$121.000. Held, that the Chehalis was entitled to an award of $10,500 and the Norwood $9,500, to be divided three-fourths to the owners and one-fourth to the crews.</p> <p>[Ed. Note. — For cases in point, see Cent. Dig. vol. 43, Salvage, § 81.</p> <p>Awards in federal courts, see note to The Lamington, 30 C. C. A. 280.]</p>